The New Neighbour
by Stolen Key
Summary: (Human OC) Jack Carter moves to England and is immediately confronted by his new neighbour the mysterious Mr. Kirkland. Soon he learns there is something different about this bushy browed man and sets out to find out exactly what sets him apart. Slight USUK does not go into details. Rated T just for safety because of the theme at the end
1. The letter

Hi, I'm Jack Carter. I'm a history major and just started an exchange year here in Oxford. I'm really excited to study here cause it was always my dream to study in England. Oh and if you didn't guess I'm from the good old US of A. Michigan to be precise.

Well I guess I gotta tell you why I wrote this. It all started on my very first day in rainy old England. I was walking back to my new house I shared with three other people. We're all from fairly well off backgrounds so we could afford one of the nicer houses, it even had a balcony and we were allowed pets! It was awesome. Ok now back to the actual story, I was walking home after picking up a few things from the store for dinner when I met my neighbour for the first time. To say it wasn't the best way to meet your new neighbour is an understatement. There I was walking along; being totally in control of all the bags and boxes I had to carry when suddenly this guy appeared out of nowhere! Seriously, I got the boxes balanced perfectly in front of me and then BAM this guy with the biggest freaking eyebrows I have ever seen just charges me! I was so annoyed and to make things worse the eggs and cakes were smashed everywhere. Then the guy had the cheek to blame me! Next thing I know we are in this huge fight and he's throwing all these super Britishy insults at me, most of which I couldn't even understand. He even called me an air headed yank! I know I might appear airheaded but I swear I'm ridiculously smart; I haven't met anyone who can keep up with me when it comes to history especially English history. That stuff is like chocolate to me, I can't get enough. Well anyway the guy with the eyebrows who I had dubbed Sir Grumpy Brows by the end of our fight. He really did not like that name and then said something about all Americans being "insufferable", hey I don't even know why he hates so many awesome people but it's his loss. Then things got worse, he noticed his clothes. They were plastered in the eggy, cakey mess and for some reason flour was everywhere. Swearing he demanded I had to pay for his dry-cleaning then raced into the house next to mine. It was then when things clicked, this guy was my supposed rich and very important neighbour and I just pissed him off. Yea the next year was gonna be fun.

When I got into my house my housemates instantly asking what had happened, explaining everything I could see their curiosity die down into what could only be described as rage, yes rage with a hint of fear. Within minutes I was sent to the store again, this time to buy Sir Grumpy Brows some scones as an apology. Apparently housemates had run ins with him before and almost got kicked out, it seems he held some big job that made him untouchable. Well I call bull on that, nobody is untouchable.

Arriving back from the store for the second time that day I plopped the shopping down on the kitchen table and went to find one of my housemates to ask what I should do next. Eventually after searching most of the rooms I found Alex, a brown eyed, blonde girl from Manchester on the balcony. It was a nice day as far as British weather during September. The next few minutes were horrifying, I thought that Sir Grumpy Brows was mean but Alex almost made me cry. Normally I never cry, but man she was harsh and the insults... they hurt, a lot! Once she eventually calmed down I finally got what I needed. She told me that I had to go over next door and apologise to Mr. Kirkland, yea that's his name. Crazy right? He hates being called by his first name and insists everyone calls him Mr. Kirkland. Only one word popped into my head then and it was uptight. Which I might have said out loud... and got shouted at again. Then I was marched next door with a huge cake, some scones and even flowers (what guy gives other guys flowers as an apology I don't know). Hesitantly I knocked on the door and after waiting for almost ten minutes the angry blonde opened it and then stood there in the doorway with the smuggest look I have ever seen anyone have. I might have punched him and got in another fight. That night my landlord arrived at the house and gave me an ultimatum, move or apologise to "Mr. Kirkland". Swallowing my pride I agreed to apologise, I liked the area and most of my housemates were cool.

Apologise to Mr Kirkland attempt two.

Once again I knocked on the door and this time he answered sooner.

"I have been expecting you, now out with it," he demanded, his very strong English accent dripping off every word.

"Look man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you and then hit you. You just looked so freaking smug and it annoyed me, I know I have anger management issues but dude seriously so do you and hell I don't even know you," I rushed and instantly regretted it as I saw him try to slam the door shut in my face. Quickly I stuck my foot into the gap and gasped once it slammed on my foot. I could have swore I heard a cracking noise but I ignored it and tried to put on a brave face.

"Need I tell you that I can have you kicked out of your house within the hour unless you apologise properly?" he stated, an annoyed yet victorious look in his eyes. Wow they were really green, I was captivated for a minute before I snapped back to reality.

"Ok, but just so you know I really am sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you and I really shouldn't have hit you. Look I brought you these as an apology gift." I handed over the cake, scones and flowers as quickly as I could. He glared at me for a minute before accepting the boxes of baked goods and the flowers. "Also dude, I'm sorry about saying you had a temper. I was annoyed cause it's true and well I always have to keep my temper in check and it gets to me when others don't." By now I was rambling but I didn't care, he deserved to know and God help me if I was gonna hold back.

"No, you are right. However as you understand do hold a lot of power here and I rarely use it, I only ever deem it necessary once someone unfit moves into the area," he said in return and held my gaze, it was like he was trying to stare me down or something. Let me tell you, the dude might be a little shorter than me but I was scared stupid.

"So, I'm not worthy to live here?" I asked cautiously.

"Exactly what I was saying, now if you would excuse me I left the kettle boiling and for now at the very least I won't tell your landlord to kick you out, good evening mister?"

"Carter, Jack Carter. But most people call me Jack," I filled him in quickly and then stood back to let him close the door and retreat inside, taking the baked goods and flowers with him. Breathing a sigh of relief I turned on my heels and went back into my own house. They all rushed me when I got in and made me explain what had happened, so I did. They seemed ok with my account of everything and let it go, but they did warn me to play nice from now on.

Now moving onto my first day of college. I was pumped to finally walk through those doors as a student. My first class was English history, to my sheer unadulterated joy we got to study the late eighteen hundreds. My favourite part of English history, well ok one of my favourite parts of it. There is just so much I can't pick out one thing I like the most. I made loads of new friends with awesome British accents, some even came from Scotland and it took me ages to figure out what they were saying. Who knew such a small island had so much diversity? The best part of the class was when we got to look through the old photos from that time. I even got to look at old photos of Queen Victoria and everyone who worked for her. I was glued to the pictures and quickly shuffling between them as if I was trying to absorb the images into my mind forever when I found one picture. It showed Queen Victoria shaking hands with a man who had strangely familiar spiky hair. The picture was in black and white so I couldn't make out the man's hair colour, but he had the biggest most recognisable eyebrows I have ever seen. The man looked like a carbon copy of my neighbour Mr. Kirkland! Gasping I searched through the other pictures and found him in the background of most of the pictures from that time. It was the strangest feeling ever to see your grumpy neighbour having a lookalike in some old photos. Pushing it to the back of my mind I forced myself to concentrate on the class and my studies. Thankfully the rest of the day went uneventfully and I even got home without running into Mr. Kirkland. However my curiosity was peaked. I had to do more research into the guy in the photos.

I spent the next week rifling through thousands of archives and photos in the library. I was obsessed but I was also a man on a mission. Finally on the third day of looking I found it, the man's name. I clasped my hand to my mouth to quiet a squeal when I read the name. Arthur Kirkland. I didn't know my neighbours first name but this gave me a clue as to why he was so important. He had connection to old royalty and chances are his family still does. That day I ran into him again. Instead of a glare he greeted me kindly on the street and even asked me what I was doing in England. This was a test, it had to be. So I put on my best and kindest smile and answered him.

"I'm studying British history in Oxford. I hope someday to help make history more fun for the future generations to learn about and possibly wrote a few books."

He looked at me, he wore a small smile but I could tell his eyes were ripping me apart and judging me. "Might I ask why an American has such an interest in British history?" his voice was calm, almost too calm.

"Well I mostly like English history and I don't know, it's so freaking cool and it just makes me happy reading about it," I answered as honestly as I could and found myself blush at my honesty.

"Very well, then I wish you all the luck with your studies mister Carter," he turned and started walking up the steps to his house.

"Wait, can I ask, what's your first name? I mean we are gonna be neighbours for the next year and I want there to be no awkwardness despite how we met," I asked quickly.

"Arthur, and I wish for you to refer to me as Mr. Kirkland, nothing else. Do you understand?" his eyes narrowed dangerously. I nodded stiffly and forced myself to remain calm until he had gone into his house. Then I freaked out. He had the same name as the guy in the photos; this had to be a coincidence, right?

The next day I was once again in the library, this time finding all the records and photos I could from the Victorian times onwards. Every picture from all the major events since then had me gasping in awe until the librarian gave out to me and threatened to kick me out. Great, I thought I have barely been here a week and a half and I was almost kicked out of two places! I had to get myself together. But my discoveries were too shocking to keep to myself. In all the pictures from the major events there he was, Arthur Kirkland stood in the background or was the main subject in the photos. WWI, WWII, he was at Diana's wedding and funeral, the latest royal weddings and there were even pictures of portraits with him standing beside former monarchs. My mind was racing with all the thoughts that had popped into my head. Who was this guy? It was then and there that I decided to ask him myself. I silently stashed a few of the more prominent photos in my bag and made my way home.

When I got back I saw a tall straw haired man with glasses sitting on Mr. Kirklands step. He was absentmindedly watching the clouds float by. Walking up the steps to my house he turned and smiled at me.

"Yo, you must be Arthurs neighbour," he said in an overly cheerful voice, I instantly recognised his accent. He was American. He held out his hand to shake mine.

"Hi, yea I'm just a new neighbour though and considering how things might go I don't know if I'm gonna be staying here for much longer," I answered and shook his hand.

"Oh, you must be the American he was complaining about. I heard you were the one that made him late for the meeting last week," he grinned at me.

"Then yea, I must be that guy." I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment, "yea I had to apologise up and down for that, I never meant to annoy him or anything it was an accident."

"Dude, relax I'm not gonna get mad at you for that. Although you did steal my thunder, I'm normally the American who gets on his nerves. Oh and the names Alfred F. Jones."

"Nice to meet you Alfred, I'm Jack Carter. Yea sorry about that," I laughed in response, for some reason this guy was very easy to talk to.

"I also heard you hit him..." Alfred's voice trailed off and his expression changed in a split second from calm and cheerful to angry and cold.

Instinctively I took a step back and held my hands up in a sign of surrender. "Look that was an accident, I never meant to hit him. I have anger management issues and I'm dealing with them, he just looked so damn smug the first time I tried to apologise." I started panicking. This guy was taller than me and he looked ripped, not like crazy muscular or anything but definitely strong enough to put me in hospital.

"You won't touch my Iggy again will you?" he asked, his voice threatening and as cold as steel.

"I won't, I promise!" I squeaked, yea it was unmanly but I was scared stupid.

"Good," Alfred smiled again, "Look I know he gets really grumpy and stuff but that's who he is and you just gotta give him enough time. Unless you're me and his hero, but you're not so you can't."

I stared at him blankly, was he trying to say that... my thoughts were cut off when I heard Mr. Kirklands angry shouts from behind me. Alfred had started sunning towards him as soon as he came into view and pulled him into a huge hug, kissing the top of his forehead. Well that's my question answered. Embarrassed I retreated to my door and was about to head inside when Alfred called out to me.

"Yo, Jack. Seriously dude there's no need to be worried. Iggy here won't bite your head off. I won't let him," he wrapped his arm around the shorter man's shoulder protectively and poked him in the side a little.

"Alfred, will you back off you git," Mr. Kirkland muttered and pushed himself away from the American.

"Wait, why won't you let him bite my head off?" I asked, now genuinely confused about these two guys. They were so strange, everything about them threw me off and after finding the pictures earlier I was convinced they were not human.

"Cause us Americans gotta stick together," Alfred answered and shot me a thumbs up.

"Ok... well I have to go. I'm cooking tonight and I need to get started," I said and reached for the keys in my pocket.

"Ok, bye dude, hopefully we can catch up and talk about cool stuff before I go. England's cool and all but man, sometimes you gotta talk to another America every once in a while," he chirped.

"Yea, definitely! Well bye!" with that I opened the door and went into the house, closing the door tightly after me. That was strange.

The next few days were kinda boring, I found out all I needed to know about my neighbour from my housemates and other neighbours. He had apparently lived there for more than ten years now and since he arrived the area improved dramatically. He worked with the government or something and was constantly going on trips out foreign, so he always got my housemate Alex to catsit then. For some reason they seemed to get along very well and then my peaceful week was shattered when I came home one day to see them in the kitchen having tea. Imagine my shock to arrive back, soaking wet from the rain and then seeing Alex, Mr. Kirkland and Alfred sitting at the table talking. Ok Alfred looked bored out of his mind and had coffee instead. I really don't blame him, tea is horrible. Seeing me he immediately perked up and asked if I had any video games. As a self respecting gamer that question was silly so as soon as I changed we launched into an Assassin's Creed game and spent the next few hours killing each other and the others we were playing against.

Eventually I felt all the knowledge I had acquired about Mr. Kirkland bubble up in the back of my mind. After the fiftieth round I stopped playing and turned to Alfred who whined when I refused to play on.

"I know this is a weird question, but you and Sir Grumpy Brows... I mean Mr. Kirkland aren't normal are you?" I asked quietly and hoped he didn't hear my nickname for the Brit. I winced when I felt his stare bore into me until he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Sir Grumpy Brows, dude I'm totally stealing that!" he howled and doubled over laughing. I remained quiet until he stopped laughing. "Ok, ok now I can breathe, so am... what makes you ask that?" His blue eyes were analysing my every movement.

"Because I found this," I pulled out the photos from the bag I had at my foot. Grabbing them, Alfred flicked through them and let his mouth hang agape.

"How did you find these?" he asked.

"In the library, only a few students can see them and I'm one of the lucky ones." I looked down at the photos and gasped in shock at a photo from WWII, there along with Mr. Kirkland was Alfred, they were standing side by side. Alfred had his arm wrapped around Mr. Kirkland and they both wore the biggest smiles I had ever seen, behind them was a tall man in shackles who had a shorter man with darker hair clinging to his leg crying his eyes out. Other men stood beside them, a short Asian man to Alfred's left, a blonde was stroking Mr. Kirkland's arm and was obviously annoyed at being ignored and a very tall man stood behind them. If I'm totally honest that guy freaked me out. Even in a picture you could tell he gave off a strange evil aura. There was something else in the picture; one part of it was kinda fuzzy and very hard to make out. It was shaped like a person but I put it down to being smoke.

"This was when we finally captured Germany, man, Italy hated us for years after," Alfred muttered.

I stared at him blankly, did he just admit that he was the guy in the picture? "Wait is that actually you?"

Alfred nodded and then got up off the couch. "Look, we can explain all of that but not here. Come over tomorrow at around six." He left and walked up to Mr. Kirkland, he stopped and leaned over to whisper something in the Brits ear. The Brit froze and sat up straight; he quickly glanced over at me and then made an excuse to leave. Within a minute they were out of the house and I realised Alfred took the pictures. It didn't matter I had more in my bag.

The following day I went to their house at exactly six. Before I could even knock on the door it swung open and Alfred whisked me inside. The inside of the house was really nice; I swear it was the nicest house I have ever been in. Even though it looked to be the same size as the one I lived in, this one had so many antique decorations and portraits that it felt like I was in a palace. The walls were a light blue wallpaper and the furniture looked old, but very comfy and very expensive. I was led into the living room were Mr. Kirkland himself sat reading a book. He looked up when I walked in and then left his book to his side, he pointed to the seat opposite him and I obediently sat down. Alfred stood behind him and leaned over the seat, resting his elbows on the back of the plush leather armchair.

"So you have reached a conclusion that Alfred and I are not human?" he asked carefully. Once again I felt eyes boring into me and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"Am, yea cause you see I found these pictures and well... you guys give off a different feel or aura or something..." I allowed my voice to trail off and kept my eyes firmly on the reddish carpet.

"You're right, we aren't. But we need you to keep this quiet," Arthur continued. I looked up at him in a mixture of shock and confusion, then nodded fervently. "Good, and if you do tell anyone America will make you disappear." I stared at him in horror, make me disappear? Why? Then I realised he said America, America is a country how the hell can a country make you disappear, ok a government could but that's not America! As if sensing my confusion Arthur started talking again, "Mr Carter, allow me to introduce you to America," he pointed his hand towards Alfred who grinned and waved at me. "Whereas I am England," Arthur... no England grinned at me like a Cheshire cat. My head was spinning, wait the room was spinning and I was starting to get a headache and feel faint. This all made sense, no wonder he felt at ease around Alfred and it explained the weird aura thing they gave off. The next thing I remember was black.

I woke up the next day in my bed, my housemates said that I was dragged back by Alfred late last night after drinking too much. The next few days were a blur, I got to know both England and America quite well and was shocked when they suddenly announced England was moving. He said that he had stayed too long in the area and it was getting suspicious that he wasn't aging at all. That's another thing! They don't age and England is over a thousand years old! He barely looked twenty four! Alfred is over four hundred years old and he looks younger than me. The way they look and act is crazy, but I somehow still managed to be their friend for that short time.

When England moved I was genuinely sad to see the grump go and when America left I almost begged him to stay. He was right, it's really nice having another American to talk to in this crazy, mixed up and amazing country.

It's been almost thirty years since then and I still kinda miss them even though they weren't in my life too long. I still catch up with America online but England disappeared cause of some national security thing. That only made me much more determined to find him again and maybe call him Mr. Kirkland just to see his reaction. I found him again this morning and finally got to carry out my wish. He almost bit my head off. It was so strange, I was now in my early fifties, had a family and had aged quite a bit and England and America looked the same. It was sad to think that all their human friends aged so much quicker than them, maybe that's why England was so grouchy around normal people. I was amazed they recognised me instantly, they told me it's cause I'm American. And that America has a connection to his people so he knows exactly who you are if you're American once he meets you. So wait why was I writing this again? Oh yea it's because I don't want to forget it. Lately my memory has been going and I am a little worried, the doctors suspect it that memory loss disease and make me take tablets every day which is a pain. Hopefully though it will get better, my wife... Alex, yes that's her name is staying positive for me. Oh yea I forgot to mention Alex and I started dating after England and America left, we had a great life so far and I only wish for the best in the future.

So that's it for me, I just hope that anyone reading this doesn't think I'm too crazy.

Jake Carter

* * *

Yea this just popped into my head so I had to write it ^^ Hope it's good and let me know what you think :D


	2. The response

I don't know why I'm writing this Jack, but I feel like I should. I read your letter about our old friend Arthur Kirkland and his partner. Can I say I am shocked but I always knew there was something different about them. If anything I am glad you found out, if it wasn't for that I doubt I would have agreed on that first date. When we first met I had my doubts about you and didn't even give you a second glance until for some strange reason Alfred or America as you might have known him told me to say yes. He seemed so sure you were worth the risk and I must admit you were. I saw them again today, they were at your funeral. You were right, they haven't aged a day and it hurt so much. They both came to me to give me their condolences but it didn't help, I wish that disease didn't steal so much of you away from me. It only took a mere three months for you to become a different person, the only thing you could remember was that short time when you knew them. Why could you not remember me? Or our children? Our sons are lost without you, Arthur was inconsolable, and Sam just broke down during the ceremony. I don't know how to go on without you but I hope that wherever you are you're happy.

Love you forever

Alex

P.S. Alfred told me were to find your journal. Thank you for leaving one, I needed it. Also Alfred and Arthur admitted who they are to me and promised to stay around for a while to help me. Thank you for everything and thank you for making friends with those two. At the moment they are invaluable.

* * *

And that's it . I don't know how this ended up the way it did. I might have taken inspiration from the episode with the human looking at a nations life and then subconsciously integrated something similar.

Well hope I didn't make many grammar or spelling mistakes and people liked it ^^


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